Color drained from Eloise’s face as she stared at her grandson, her hands tightening around her staff.

"You don’t mean that."

Rodrigo frowned, and then a short scoff left his throat.

"If they planned to take the Alpha’s seat, they should have been ready to fight." He paused, a smile stretching the corner of his lips. "But of course, I would give them a chance to take back their words."

Eloise’s grip tightened around her staff before she turned back to the girl on the bed.

"The Luna coronation will be held in two days. Invites will be sent out today. Everyone must know that my grandson is not cursed." She smiled as she turned toward the doors, her hand settling on the handle before she paused and glanced back at Rodrigo. "You should get some sleep. You look like death."

Rodrigo blinked once, his eyes drifting to his reflection in the mirror beside him. His face looked sharper than he remembered, his eyes sunken, his hair disheveled. He dragged his fingers through it slowly.

He hadn’t slept in days.

His gaze flickered back to the woman on the bed before he turned away, walked to the table, and sat down, letting his eyes close as he drifted into sleep.

...

Nina’s eyes opened slowly. The ceiling above her was unfamiliar, carved with intricate detail, and she blinked up at it.

She drew in a breath and pushed herself upright, resting against the bed.

She lifted her hands, turning them over, then curled her fingers into fists before releasing them again.

She was Annalise. The Primordial witch.

Nina sat in the quiet as she tried to remember anything else, but nothing came.

It was as though the memories of her past life had been wiped clean, and all she knew was her name.

Reincarnation spells were black magic, forbidden in Vermont and neighboring packs, and could only be performed by witches of the highest power.

Who had the power to bring her back, and why?

Why did she have no memories of herself?

Wind blew into the room, and Nina’s gaze shifted toward the study table and settled on Rodrigo.

His head was resting against his arm, dark hair falling across his face as he slept. She tilted her head, watching him before the movement of the curtains caught her attention.

Cold air drifted through the open window, stirring the papers on his desk until they slipped loose and scattered across the floor. Her brows drew together.

She raised her hand toward the window, casting a spell.

Nothing happened.

Nina frowned and tried again, slower, her focus sharpening.

Still nothing.

Nina straightened, looking at her hands. What was happening?

She stared at the curtains, summoning all the power within her, but the curtains continued to sway, the wind slipping through the room, stronger now.

Nina stared at her hand, her fingers curling slowly into her palm.

Her eyes widened with dread.

She reached deeper.

Nothing.

Not a spark.

Not even the faintest trace of magic.

Her stomach dropped.

No.

No, this wasn’t happening.

She shut her eyes tightly and searched for anything — an incantation, a memory, a sensation she knew.

But there was nothing.

Only silence.

Her memories were gone, and her powers too?

Nina’s heart thudded against her chest as she racked her brain.

Breathe.

She drew a slow breath, fisting her palms.

Someone had brought her back for a reason. Why?

And why did she only realize who she was now?

Did her parents have any idea of this?

Nina fisted her hair, a thousand thoughts racing through her mind. She needed answers.

Her father hadn’t mentioned anything like this, and her biological mother, whom she could have sought answers from, was dead.

Now that she thought about it, her father had mentioned once that her biological mother was a servant he’d brought from Hades Pack...

Was her mother a witch?

Nina’s eyes wandered, then suddenly she stopped.

The Vothraki...

Her brows furrowed.

She tried to remember anything about it, but the memory slipped away before she could grasp it.

She pressed her fingers to her temple.

Nothing else came.

No faces.

No names.

Not even her own.

As though someone had wiped her memories clean and left only that one fragment behind.

Her eyes whipped to Rodrigo.

He was in possession of it. From what he’d mentioned, it was Annalise’s spell book; it should contain some answers somehow...

Nina stepped down from the bed and crossed the room, her steps quiet against the wood.

Stopping beside the table, she let her gaze settle on his face, the tension in it almost gone in sleep. She needed to find it.

But how?

The curtains shifted again, blowing cold wind into the room. His brows tensed faintly.

Nina watched him briefly, then turned and pulled the window shut. The sound of the latch clicking woke him, and when she turned, his eyes were already on her.

His brows pulled into a frown as his eyes shifted to the window.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Nina held his gaze as her eyes filled slowly, her voice coming out small. "The wind was cold." She hesitated slightly. "You looked troubled in your sleep."

His eyes moved to the window, then back to her. "You shouldn’t be standing. Go back to bed."

Nina shook her head. "I’m fine." She paused. "It didn’t—" she swallowed lightly, "it couldn’t hurt me."

His frown returned. "What are you talking about?"

Nina looked down briefly, then back up. She couldn’t tell him who she really was. That was an instant death sentence. She would tell him the version he wouldn’t be able to verify. With the guards dead, he had no choice but to believe whatever she said.

"The creature. It killed them," she said, quieter. "It killed the guards." Her voice faltered slightly. "I tried to get out, I was knocking and calling, but no one came, and then it—" She stopped, her breath catching. "It held me around my neck," she continued, her hand rising to her throat. "And then a guard struck it from behind and it let me go." Her fingers curled. "They fought, and the guard killed it."

Rodrigo didn’t interrupt. His eyes moved to her neck — the skin was clear, not a single mark on it. His gaze lingered a moment longer, a faint crease forming between his brows before lifting back to her face.

She was lying.

"It turned into black dust." Nina continued, pointing at her dress.

Nina stared at him, waiting. His gaze held hers, his expression giving nothing away.

"It killed everyone except you?" he asked, his voice disbelieving.

Nina was quiet for a second, then she nodded. "Ye...s, I thought I was going to die. I was so scared," she said, a tremble in her voice.

Rodrigo didn’t believe a word she said.

Four guards were dead.

The "creature" had turned to dust.

And somehow she had survived without a scratch.

None of it made sense.

He stared at her for a long second.

What are you?

Rodrigo stared at the woman in front of him, an uneasiness coursing through him.

She was holding his gaze, unblinking. She didn’t look the least bit like a woman who had almost died.

"Sit," he ordered after a long quiet.

Nina moved to the bed and sat down at the edge. He turned, picked up the medicine from the side table, and brought it to her. She reached for the bowl, but her grip was unsteady, the liquid tilting toward the rim. Rodrigo caught it before it spilled.

Nina let go immediately. "I’m sorry. My hands are still weak."

Rodrigo hesitated for a second, then pulled the chair closer and sat, his focus settling on the bowl rather than her face as he lifted the spoon to her lips.

Nina watched him, then leaned forward and took it.

He continued to feed her quietly, not looking at her.

She could see the tension in his brows and how stiff his shoulders were. He didn’t believe a word she’d said.

Nina’s hands clenched the side of her dress; his silence stretched longer than it should.

He brought the spoon to her lips again, and she forced a laugh. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Rodrigo paused, his gaze lifting to hers. "What is it?"

Nina searched his eyes.

"Nothing," she said. "It’s just... the second time you’re feeding me."

Rodrigo didn’t respond.

"You seem concerned about trivial things even when you’ve just survived a life-and-death experience."

Nina froze.

Oh no.

She cursed under her breath. Had she given herself away?

Her heart thudded against her chest as she fisted her hands in the sheets.

He could also hear her heartbeat. She was completely done for.

His hand paused midair.

His gaze dropped briefly to her chest, following the frantic rhythm of her heartbeat before lifting back to her face.

Nina sat still, unmoving, as she held her breath, her eyes locked on his as she prayed earnestly he wouldn’t ask why her heart was racing so wildly, if she’d done nothing wrong.

His mouth moved to speak, but a loud knock sounded on the door, cutting him off.

Rodrigo held her gaze for a second, then looked to the door. "Come in."

Nina exhaled a breath she didn’t know she was holding as the door creaked open and a guard stepped inside, head bowed.

"A new room has been prepared for the Luna, Alpha."

Rodrigo turned to her on the bed, his eyes going over her face.

"No need," he said, holding her gaze. "She’ll be staying here with me."